Drive a Steam Train

If you are looking for that really special present - or perhaps are thinking of treating yourself - a Talyllyn Railway Driver Experience will make for a really enjoyable and memorable occasion.

‘You blow the whistle, release the brakes and open the regulator. A hiss of steam and the train starts to move - the start of the journey and the start of an experience of a lifetime’.

Accompanied and guided by an experienced Talyllyn Driver, you will take the regulator of one of our famous locomotives from the shed at Tywyn Pendre for either one or two trips to the end of the line at Nant Gwernol and back.

For all experiences, single-line operation safety requirements apply and tokens are exchanged at every block post. This allows practice at stopping and starting the train. During breaks it will be possible to discuss the history of the line, its operation and its continued development - the questions are yours to ask. At least three, fully qualified Talyllyn Railway members (a Driver, Fireman and Guard) will accompany the train and its party at all times.

There are three packages available, ‘Daylight Evening’ and 'Afternoon' giving one return trip, and ‘All Day’ with two return trips. You will haul a normal rake of coaches in which your guests may travel, and food will be provided during the trip for yourself and your party.

Each experience is tailored to suit, and we are well used to organising one as a surprise for the recipient, so don’t be afraid to ask! The experience may be tailored to your special event and we will do our utmost to accommodate any special requirements that fit with you or the occasion.

On arrival the Guest Driver will meet the crew, and the Talyllyn Driver will give you a safety briefing, and will make sure that you are well prepared. For the full day experience, there will be the opportunity to help your crew to prepare the locomotive at the start of the day, and to enjoy the atmosphere in the shed, which is the oldest steam shed in continuous use.

To ensure the success of the day, a simple Medical Questionnaire will need to be completed. Good eyesight (with glasses if required) and hearing are obviously important, as is the ability to climb into and out of the cab!

From our previous experience, we are confident that you will enjoy your experience! The small size of our narrow gauge locos means that only one visitor can be on the locomotive at a time, so our Driver Experience trains really are exclusive - the whole of each trip is yours. If you are interested, but would like further information, or would like to know if a particular date is available, please feel free to contact us to discuss the details at the address below, or email de [at] talyllyn [dot] co [dot] uk (subject: Driver%20Experience) .

Should you feel that you would like to sample the footplate first, please see Talyllyn Treats, which include a footplate trip.

Booking and detailed information

We are pleased to offer a choice of footplate experiences, giving you the chance to drive one of our historic locomotives.

Full Day Driver Experience£825
Available all year round except on Blue or Pink timetable days.
Includes morning coffee and a buffet lunch.

Afternoon Driver Experience£475
Available on our green timetable days.We can also offer an Afternoon Experience on orange timetable days, but at a cost of £500.
Includes a buffet of sandwiches and light refreshments.

Footplate experiences can be run on dates to suit participants, subject to there not being other bookings or extra trains operating. Please contact us for dates at

de [at] talyllyn [dot] co [dot] uk or:

Talyllyn Railway
Wharf Station
Tywyn
Gwynedd
LL36 9EY

Phone 01654 710472
Fax 01654 711755

The above experiences are available to fit persons aged over 18 on the day of their experience - we regret that these Footplate Experiences are not suitable for disabled persons. We ask that a simple health declaration be signed before any booking may be confirmed. We will be pleased to welcome you and your party to the Talyllyn Railway.

As you can perhaps appreciate, however, coal-fired steam locomotives are confined and relatively dirty places on which to work and travel. The Guest Driver should therefore please wear stout footwear ("Toetectors" - steel capped shoes/boots - if at all possible) and some form of protective overall (a non-nylon boiler suit or "bib and brace"). The cost of up to 3 people accompanying the guest driver travelling in the train is included in the package. Any further people (up to a maximum of 15) may join the guest party at a price of £10.00 each to cover extra travel and refreshment costs.

As the railway is operated by volunteers, it helps if you are able to give us at least four weeks notice of a preferred date to ensure that we have a volunteer crew available for the event. We look forward to making this a memorable experience for you and your guests.